


Playing with Fire

by TGITFangirl (SilverMillenium_QueenNeptune)



Series: He is Not The Sun (or, The Sexy Single Ladies of TGIT) [4]
Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon Gay Character, F/M, Gen, Long Live Feedback Comment Project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-14 22:25:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15398841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMillenium_QueenNeptune/pseuds/TGITFangirl
Summary: Andy knew playing with fire would get her burned, eventually. But for some insane reason she spent her life doing it. That's why she has to make a change and she has to make it now.  Unfortunately for her, there's one fire she can't seem to stop staring into.  Takes place several months after the season 1 finale "Not Your Hero." This fic is an Everybody Lives, Nobody Dies AU.





	Playing with Fire

**Author's Note:**

> AU is because my heart couldn't take the events of the finale. I don't own these characters.

_If you play with fire, you'll eventually get burned._ Everyone's heard that saying at least once in their lives. Andrea Herrera had heard it at least once a day growing up. So she didn't play with fires, she fought them. She fought them the way her father had taught her. But right now, she was definitely playing with fire, a blaze that threatened to consume her if she let it.  This was a fire she didn't know how to put out. This fire scared her, and she didn't know if she was capable of putting it out.

Andy's fire wasn't a physical one, not really. It was a nightmare. A fear she couldn't quench. Fear was a weakness, and she knew it, one that could be used against her. The problem was, she'd tried not to be afraid. She had found that it was almost impossible. Every firefighter knew their jobs were dangerous, that they could deal with loss. Couldn't she do the same?  Didn't she have the tenacity, the bravery to push beyond the impossible? 

In her case, the impossible was the skyscraper fire. The members of 19 had been extremely fortunate. They had worked together with other stations to combat the blaze. To Andy's credit, she had managed to maintain her team, and everyone had made it out alive. Her father would be proud of that. He would hug her and tell her that she had done an amazing job, lament over his need to let go of command at the station, but tell stories about how he knew the station would be in good hands. He'd explain how he survived many fires as captain of 19, how she would have many more, would do the same. The idea that she could be the new captain was a glorious one. Her entire team had fallen in line behind her. Most of them had already had her back. Then there were the two main dissenters. Travis and Jack. Andy had to laugh about it, honestly. 

She couldn't blame Travis. After all, he was dedicated. Almost as much as she was, maybe even more so.  That station was home to him. Losing his husband had been devastating, but it had galvanized him into being a leader for the station. Even when he didn't want to be, Travis was always supportive, helping Andy resolve disputes. There were things he knew she wasn't ready to handle. She wasn't her father, and Travis knew that.  But he wasn't certain she was capable of the firm hand that 19 clearly needed, one like Pruitt Herrera. She was almost surprised that he wasn't in the running to take over the station. Travis was the kind of guy they needed, Andy realized. He was firm, yet diplomatic. He knew how to handle conflict. Since his husband had been a firefighter as well, it made him safety conscious, and he would be the man to ensure things got done. As much as she wanted to keep her family's legacy going by being the captain, Travis also had the capability to handle things in a democratic way. 

But, Andy was also aware of the bitter side of the pill. Travis _was_ capable of leading 19. But he didn't want to be captain. He'd never thrown his hat into the ring or stated any intention of doing so. This place needed people who wanted to be in charge, people like her. That's what led to Andy's real fear: Jack Gibson.  Jack wanted to be in charge too, and that had nearly divided the station in two, especially after they had found out that Jack and Andy had been sleeping together.  That was why Andy had to make a choice. 

Jack did want to be in charge, and she couldn't be under him and under his command. That wasn't her. 19 belonged to her. It was a family legacy. Jack was trusted, Jack could lead. But so could she. She needed someone to understand that, someone to give her a chance.  But she also needed someone to vent to. That someone came in the form of her co-worker and best friend Maya. 

"If there is anyone who's meant to run that firehouse, it's you, Andy.", Maya told her as they went on their usual run. "That place is your domain. Nobody knows it better than you. Besides, it's a Hererra legacy or something."

"Or something.", Andy laughed. Maya was the person who got her, the one who stuck by her side no matter what. Which was why she understood that Andy was hiding something that day. It was unusual  that they didn't gossip while they ran. Andy was quiet, and Maya knew it was because she had a lot on her mind. There was a lot of pressure on her. 

"Talk to me, girl."

"I really don't know that there's anything to talk about. Nobody trusts me to run 19. Not even my dad. Or at least, that's how it feels to me." Maya could understand that. This was a family. 19 was a legacy for Andy.  Maya knew Andy had made some tough choices.  One of those choices had led to a battle, in her heart and mind. Jack distracted her.

At the time her fling with Jack had started, Andy had thought it was just the passion between them and the secrets that pulled them together. It was secretive, and hot, and the intimacy had been, well. . . something Andy would never forget. But then, her dad had withdrawn from the station due to his health. The perfect, secret, sexy bubble she had built with Jack had fallen apart. Suddenly, their relationship was a flame. A flame they were both playing with. And then it had all imploded, after the skyscraper. They'd survived, the relationship hadn't. And now, he was bitter.

"People trust you, Andy. I trust you. I vouched for you."

"You know, Jack's thinking about putting in for a transfer?", she asked as they slowed down. Maya looked shocked. 

"Really? Girl, if he's gonna be that petty, you don't need him. It was fun."

"It was our bubble. Our hot, secret, sexy bubble.", Andy lamented, and Maya laughed.  Andy was being dramatic. Andy knew it, she knew it. 

"Which is why you don't need to be tied to anybody right now. Find another sexy bubble with someone else. Have some fun." Maya knew Andy might not take her advice. Andy had always been fierce, and strong, and independent.  Maya loved her for it. It was one of the reasons they were so close. 

"Maybe I should talk to Travis."

"Travis is going to give you better advice than me?", Maya teased. Andy couldn't help giggling. Travis might not give her better advice, but it could lead to a different perspective. After all, Travis had made a relationship with another firefighter work. Perhaps he could offer Andy some hope.

"Maya, you know I love you. But the  _last_ thing I need right now is another Jack, another bubble, another secret." What she didn't tell Maya was the thought that accompanied it. 

 _Trying to be with Jack again is playing with fire. I need to love me for me. Then I'll know what it is I really need._ Andy couldn't choose right now. The best thing that she could do was to choose herself. Until the inner burns healed, until she was back on her feet and steady. Anything else was playing with fire. Andy knew better than to get burned. 


End file.
